OK well this was about depression glass, which is not crazy expensive, so my statement that people should pay the cost of replacement was based on that. If it was really expensive, then yes it should be insured. I don't know what the division is between those two categories though.

Personally I have never heard of depression glass , so I just assumed it was just as expensive as some of the other things listed in this thread and that's what I based my comments on.

If I had something that was worth hundreds or thousands of dollars, and a friend broke it in a total accident, I would never expect them to beggar themself to pay it back--that could mean them going without food/rent if it were that kind of money involved. I don't know what the solution *would* be, though. But the idea of someone who owns expensive items getting someone with way less funds to pay it back seems unkind. I don't mean it should all be based on relative wealth, but if the breaker truly *cannot* afford it, and it will cause severe consequences in their own life due to an accident, I just can't see thinking that's OK.

If it was an item of lesser/affordable to breaker value, I think it should always bereplaced, or equivalent amounts offered at least.

OK well this was about depression glass, which is not crazy expensive, so my statement that people should pay the cost of replacement was based on that. If it was really expensive, then yes it should be insured. I don't know what the division is between those two categories though.

Personally I have never heard of depression glass , so I just assumed it was just as expensive as some of the other things listed in this thread and that's what I based my comments on.

I don't think the value of it goes much higher than a few hundred dollars. I've never seen anything over $300 or so (but then again, I haven't looked especially hard..I've browsed ebay and other sites before because I also like depression glass)..and it can range anywhere from a few dollars up to that few hundred.

We have insurance; if someone broke an item that was above our insurance deductible (which is a reasonable one), I'd expect them to cover the deductible and I'd file a claim for the rest. I'd be willing to do the same if I was the one breaking things.

OK well this was about depression glass, which is not crazy expensive, so my statement that people should pay the cost of replacement was based on that. If it was really expensive, then yes it should be insured. I don't know what the division is between those two categories though.

Some Depression Glass is expensive. It depends on the pattern. I have a DG child's tea set that's worth several hundred dollars. Conversely, I have DG that can be found at a flea market for only a few dollars.

General comment: insuring items. Yes, insuring very valuable items is smart. However, to make a claim based on an item that costs a few hundred dollars makes your insurance rates go up. Having a low deductible has the same affect.

OK well this was about depression glass, which is not crazy expensive, so my statement that people should pay the cost of replacement was based on that. If it was really expensive, then yes it should be insured. I don't know what the division is between those two categories though.

Personally I have never heard of depression glass , so I just assumed it was just as expensive as some of the other things listed in this thread and that's what I based my comments on.

As I said in a PP, Depression Glass runs the gamut from very affordable to very expensive. It's awesome stuff! Google it - there's lots of info online.

Several hundred dollars is within the bounds of "not crazy expensive" to me. Thousands of dollars, and certainly tens of thousands of dollars, is something that people should insure in case of accident. But if it is the cost of a cell phone or iPad, I wouldn't expect it to be insured, and I'd expect to replace it if I broke it just as I would if I broke someone's cell phone or ipad.

OK well this was about depression glass, which is not crazy expensive, so my statement that people should pay the cost of replacement was based on that. If it was really expensive, then yes it should be insured. I don't know what the division is between those two categories though.

Some Depression Glass is expensive. It depends on the pattern. I have a DG child's tea set that's worth several hundred dollars. Conversely, I have DG that can be found at a flea market for only a few dollars.

General comment: insuring items. Yes, insuring very valuable items is smart. However, to make a claim based on an item that costs a few hundred dollars makes your insurance rates go up. Having a low deductible has the same affect.

This. And, in some cases, it's not just the price of the item, it is its availability. Some DG pieces are all but nigh impossible to find; I have been delighted to have found several hard-to-get pieces randomly at flea markets and such, but they are few and far between for various items in certain patterns. (Mine s Amber Madrid, one of the more "common patterns/colors, but still with some very rare pieces.) Not only that, but at least in my case, there is a huge sentimental value attached, as it was handed down to my grandmother from her mother, and then on to me. So, I take very good care of it & would be crushed if a piece were to be broken.

As far as replacing broken items, when I have done so, the offer has always been genuine. (In truth, I can't recall breaking anything, but a couple things I have borrowed over the years have gotten lost and I have always replaced them. Broken, lost, same difference.)

For the reverse situation, a lot would depend on the item, the person who broke it, and the circumstances. If it is somebody goofing around & being careless, and it's a valuable item, I would want it to be replaced. However, for most things, I tell the breaker not to give it another thought. My mom comes to visit us between TG & Christmas every year, and every year, she drops something on my tile floor and breaks it; it has become a family meme and we all await anxiously to see what Grandma will break this year. However, she has been so kind and wonderful and generous throughout the years that I would never ask her to replace anything. And, she knows me well enough to know that I don't place great stock in "things". It was kind of funny, though, when one year she broke the lid of a sugar bowl of a set of SB/creamer/salt shaker/pepper shaker that had been rather expensive and that I really liked as far as my decor. She ran to the Dollar Store and got me a plain glass sugar bowl that is fully functional, and I was perfectly happy with it, just cause that's how I tend to roll.

In the OP, the breaker should have offered the replacement cost of the DG vase.

Several hundred dollars is within the bounds of "not crazy expensive" to me. Thousands of dollars, and certainly tens of thousands of dollars, is something that people should insure in case of accident. But if it is the cost of a cell phone or iPad, I wouldn't expect it to be insured, and I'd expect to replace it if I broke it just as I would if I broke someone's cell phone or ipad.

OK well this was about depression glass, which is not crazy expensive, so my statement that people should pay the cost of replacement was based on that. If it was really expensive, then yes it should be insured. I don't know what the division is between those two categories though.

Some Depression Glass is expensive. It depends on the pattern. I have a DG child's tea set that's worth several hundred dollars. Conversely, I have DG that can be found at a flea market for only a few dollars.

General comment: insuring items. Yes, insuring very valuable items is smart. However, to make a claim based on an item that costs a few hundred dollars makes your insurance rates go up. Having a low deductible has the same affect.

This. And, in some cases, it's not just the price of the item, it is its availability. Some DG pieces are all but nigh impossible to find; I have been delighted to have found several hard-to-get pieces randomly at flea markets and such, but they are few and far between for various items in certain patterns. (Mine s Amber Madrid, one of the more "common patterns/colors, but still with some very rare pieces.) Not only that, but at least in my case, there is a huge sentimental value attached, as it was handed down to my grandmother from her mother, and then on to me. So, I take very good care of it & would be crushed if a piece were to be broken.

As far as replacing broken items, when I have done so, the offer has always been genuine. (In truth, I can't recall breaking anything, but a couple things I have borrowed over the years have gotten lost and I have always replaced them. Broken, lost, same difference.)

For the reverse situation, a lot would depend on the item, the person who broke it, and the circumstances. If it is somebody goofing around & being careless, and it's a valuable item, I would want it to be replaced. However, for most things, I tell the breaker not to give it another thought. My mom comes to visit us between TG & Christmas every year, and every year, she drops something on my tile floor and breaks it; it has become a family meme and we all await anxiously to see what Grandma will break this year. However, she has been so kind and wonderful and generous throughout the years that I would never ask her to replace anything. And, she knows me well enough to know that I don't place great stock in "things". It was kind of funny, though, when one year she broke the lid of a sugar bowl of a set of SB/creamer/salt shaker/pepper shaker that had been rather expensive and that I really liked as far as my decor. She ran to the Dollar Store and got me a plain glass sugar bowl that is fully functional, and I was perfectly happy with it, just cause that's how I tend to roll.

In the OP, the breaker should have offered the replacement cost of the DG vase.

Per the bolded: I have a large collection of amber Madrid, too! Most of mine have sentimental value, as well.

If I was the breaker, I would offer the replacement value or offer to scour the antique shops/internet with the breakee, with lunch/dinner included until we found an adequate replacement.

If I was the breakee, I would expect friend's offer to be in good faith as to equal value. Whether I would accept would depend on accident or carelessness, how good a friend he/she is, and how valuable the piece.

It all depends on the item in question and how well I know the people. If it was really expensive and a hard to find piece, I would make an offer of a check of the current value of the item or at least a payment plan. If it was something less expensive and more common, I would offer to get the item in question myself.

If it happened to me, it also depends on the item. My roommate and I each have our own things, ranging from small, inexpensive items to computers, laptops, and other such things that costs hundreds of dollars. We don't have any insurance on the more expensive items, we do however have set rules on who can come into the house because of the more expensive items that really can't be put into a cabinet or in storage.

We also fully expect to have our more expensive items replaced or at least given the monetary value of them so we can replace them ourselves.

I'm new to this forum so excuse me if I'm putting this question in the wrong spot but I have one for you all: If someone comes to your house for dinner and breaks a serving dish by being careless, and then makes no offer to replace it, is it rude for you to ask them to replace it? And if they DO offer, is it rude of you to accept their offer?

I'm new to this forum so excuse me if I'm putting this question in the wrong spot but I have one for you all: If someone comes to your house for dinner and breaks a serving dish by being careless, and then makes no offer to replace it, is it rude for you to ask them to replace it? And if they DO offer, is it rude of you to accept their offer?

If they were juggling with it or something that is actively careless, they should offer to pay. If they were distracted in conversation or were carrying too much or they put it too close to the edge and it slipped then they should just apologize. Basically if it is being used as a serving dish and gets broken in the process of serving it's a write up.

I would only ask someone to pay for something if they had broken it on purpose (or close to) and I felt the friendship was close to over anyhow.

I learned something as a safety officer at a huge multinational company. There really are very few "accidents" in life. In every case cited by PP's about breakage/near breakage of valuable items, they were preventable.

If you own rare, expensive (relative to your values) or hard to replace items, put them away in a locked glass cabinet or just don't let people touch them. In the OP's case, why was her friend handling the expensive glass vase? My mother used to say, "Look with your eyes, not your hands" and I think this applies to this thread.

If for some reason I broke a friends possession, I would offer and be sincere about replacing/paying for it.